We’re having our first serious rainstorm of the season. Temperatures have turned colder. There will shortly be not the first, but one of the first, fires of the colder months.
I keep fairy lights strung on a stick-woven folding room divider that resides in a corner of my family room and adjacent to (but not too near) the wood burner. The lights started out as a backdrop to the annual Solstice Rake, my supremely lazy alternative to a holiday tree. I like the fairy lights so well I now leave them strung year round, because they are so cheering on a grey rainy day. Between the lights and a fire blazing away in the wood burner, the house is cozy and convivial, no matter what the weather is doing outside.
It’s been a busy couple of weeks around the old homestead. A very old friend came for a wonderful 5-day visit, then I went for a ladies’ (using the term exceedingly loosely) retreat with good friends at the coast. Much fun with both happenings.
I’ve read but not retained as much as I wish so will surely miss out on some important events of some Mumpers. Apologies for that. Still…
doggio, I’ve had weird ghostly-ish things occur in my life, but nothing current. My home of the past 18 years seems a very settled and staid place, from a “weird things” perspective.
Do add me to your list of drunken lawn trespassings. There’s a full liquor cabinet just waiting to be violated. I, too, have a weakness for Hendricks’ gin. It lives in the freezer, though.
shoe, Halloween is a non-event in my neck of the literal woods. I’ve kept a crisp $50 bill at the ready for the first intrepid little miscreant that makes their way down the long, dark spooky driveway, over the streams and around the ominous corners to the house that can’t been seen until you’re practically on top of it. The $50 is getting old and less crisp these days. Halloween used to be my favorite holiday, though.
And yes, goat is tasty! I love the silly critters, though, so I don’t eat it often.
Hope work is going better.
swampie, I appreciate your distinction between slob and sloth. We are of a similar mind. Tasks get done when they must be done – but why rush it?
MetalMouse, nice thing to do with your leftover treats at Halloween. Congrats on the debit card win! And good luck with the soccer matches. You’re a good ‘un to help as you do.
yankers, good luck with the distant ageing rellies. I struggle with the same issues. It’s tough. The ‘bloop’ story is fascinating. I’d have to find out.
FCM, sounds like your own struggles with FCD’s parents and brother are getting ironed out bit by bit, thanks to your organized and industrious approach. I hope things settle down with some finality soon and you can get back to your own pursuits! Roxy and Tobias are precious with their new haircuts.
I’m also looking forward to no more mid-term campaign ads. I mostly listen to calming music these days.
Sari, love the dog tales, but I agree with the others: It’s long past time to give Barky mom the heave-ho. You don’t need toxic people in your life. So cool to hear Cerby is making himself at home!
nellie, so glad the surgery went well and you’re on the mend! I’m sorry your former friend had to learn the hard way about COVID vaccines. I’ve experienced this with several people with whom I was formerly close. It’s hard to watch.
JtC, as ever, the GG/VBC stories are such fun. So sorry your hubs is suffering so for their antics! I hope hubs’s ribs heal fast so he can get back to laughing with wild abandon. And hot coffee on the girlz… I can relate to that one all too well. < wince > It wouldn’t make me give up coffee, though.
BooFae, it was thoughtful of you to attend your mother’s friend’s funeral and obviously a difficult challenge for obvious reasons. Nicely done.
Taters, I hope the super crud is finally done with you! Sorry for your unpleasant surprise in the den. Ugh. And extra scritches to Polar. (Not for the surprise, though.)
Flyboy, I’m glad the accident did so little damage. That’s enough excitement for one year, eh? As for cars that like to be hit, I had a Trans Am like that in my distant youth. A story for another day.
wetone, my reaction to the flu shot was much the same as yours. But it is nothing as compared to my reactions to the COVID vaccines, which are 4 days of misery for each. For this reason, I opted to have flu and COVID 10 days apart and no regrets. Had the pneumonia jab a couple days ago and no reaction whatsoever to that one. Vaccines is weird.
nettie, hope you’re feeling better soon! Glad it’s not COVID, at least.
BBBoo, what a lovely surprise! Have you figured out your chocolate benefactor yet?
oopsie, support groups can be wonderful, can’t they? I’m glad you found one that works for you, along with a new friend.
red, hope the mental health day and bike ride were splendid! Sounds like they were. I always loved those “stolen” days when I worked in more formal settings. Scary about the deadbolt and doubly so if it’s your only egress. I’m glad you were able to defeat it with screwdrivers and good news it is replaced.
kitap, glad you had some good news. Stay strong!
susan, loved the story about surprising your friend at her book reading, and big congrats on presenting at the conference. That’s quite a tribute!
ace, I can’t imagine a 3-hour hot flash. Glad that passed. Also good news that your daughter didn’t slice a tendon. Sounds like the whole ordeal was bad enough.
bumba, hope Tire Adventures are over with for the season! Stuff like that is so annoying. And I am sorry you lost your wonderful friend.
And now it’s goddam snowing! First I’ve heard of it. Nearly 3 inches have already accumulated. The fire is built and blazing. Good thing, too, because this is Power Outage Weather™. I’ve already gone out and knocked wet snow off a couple ornamental trees, filled extra water containers and ground some coffee ahead, just in case. If this crap keeps up, I won’t be able to get out of this place for an early morning auto maintenance appointment. Oh, darn. 
Oh, and I dropped a Vitamin D caplet on the sofa, and in the 2 seconds it left my sight, it is now undetectable. I know how this story ends: With a greasy Vitamin D oil splotch somewhere on the sofa, difficult to remove, in a place I should have been able to find it with all the searching I did. Aarrgghh. MPSIMS enough for you?
Due to the only one of the four of them (I count my DIL and SIL.) I didn’t get to see this week was my daughter. A rare week indeed that I get to see 3 out of 4!
